MY TRAVELS THROUGH FOOD

Soft Dinner Rolls

These rolls are not healthy by any means, but every so often I decide to splurge. I always make this recipe for the holidays, and I’ve even brought them to work potlucks in the past. Everyone always gets excited about fresh homemade bread!

The recipe makes 24 rolls, but can easily be cut in half. I weigh my dough in order to make the rolls a uniform size, and I like to bake them touching. They also make lovely little rolls when they don’t, but the texture changes slightly because of the larger crust to inside ratio.

I love these rolls days later. They make great little sandwiches, and they are delicious spread with almond butter or jam for breakfast.

My little babies rising

4 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast

1/2 cup warm water

2 cups warm milk

6 tablespoons shortening (I melted unsalted butter in with the milk)

2 eggs (room temperature)

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon salt

around 7 cups all-purpose flour (depending on humidity)

extra melted unsalted butter for brushing

1. Dissolve yeast and sugar in the warm water. Allow to sit until yeast bubbles, or proofs (5-15 minutes depending on the temperature of your kitchen and freshness of your yeast. If your kitchen is too hot your yeast might develop too fast and you might get yeasty tasting bread with huge air pockets).

2. Add the milk, shortening, eggs, and salt. Slowly add flour until you have a loose ball of dough. The secret to tender rolls is to not add too much flour. As the bread rises the flour will continue to absorb water. Err on the side of a wet first rise. Knead he dough until it is smooth. If you see the underside of the dough ripping you’ve gone too far. Place in a greased bowl, cover, and allow to rise until doubled. This dough rises beautifully.

3. Punch down dough and divide into 24 pieces (I used a scale). Shape them into rolls and arrange them on a parchment covered baking sheet, or in a greased baking dish. Allow them to rise again until doubled.

4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Brush the rolls with melted butter. Bake them for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Brush them once again with melted butter and allow them to cool on a wire rack. If they cool in the pan the bottoms will get soggy.